Western Bulldogs to pay $5.9m to child sexual abuse victim over paedophile access
November 9, 2023 · By Australian Associated Press for www.theguardian.com
Adam Kneale (pictured) was the victim of a years-long campaign of sexual abuse at the hands of Footscray Football Club fundraiser Graeme Hobbs. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
Western Bulldogs to pay $5.9m to child sexual abuse victim over paedophile access
An Australian rules football club will pay out almost $6m to a child sexual abuse victim after it was found negligent in giving a paedophile special access to the boy.
A supreme court civil jury on Thursday delivered its verdict against the Western Bulldogs over the abuse of Adam Kneale at the hands of a club fundraiser, following a four-week trial.
When asked whether the football club’s negligence caused Kneale’s injuries, the foreperson said: “Yes.”
The jury of six determined Kneale should be paid out $5,943,151 for pain and suffering, loss of earnings and medical-related expenses.
Kneale hugged his supporters in court after hearing the verdict.
He was the victim of a years-long campaign of sexual abuse at the hands of Graeme Hobbs, known as “Chops”, who trained under-19s at Footscray Football Club and was a prolific volunteer fundraiser for the club.
Kneale was aged 11 when the “jack of all trades” Hobbs first raped him at an administration building at the club’s home ground in 1984.
Kneale brought the action to court as he said the football club was vicariously liable for his abuse because it gave Hobbs special access.
He sought aggravated damages after the club didn’t reach out to him when his abuse became public, a failure he says left him with no closure after everything that happened on its grounds.
The Western Bulldogs had denied it knew about the offending.
